Treatment options for metastatic breast cancer

Breast cancer surgeon, Kristi Funk, MD, says there is a lot to be optimistic about with the treatment options for metastatic breast cancer.

Transcript

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There's absolutely reason to be optimistic when you look at what's going on with the treatment options for metastatic breast cancer.

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[GENTLE MUSIC]

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The options available to patients are constantly evolving. And the wealth of research getting published on cancer

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progresses steadily every day. In just the past few years, the FDA has approved a number of drugs that

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have shown real results in cases that were previously much tougher to treat. Let's take, for example, the most common subtype

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of metastatic breast cancer. This is known as hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative. And it's also sometimes referred to as a luminal subtype.

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Approximately 70% of all metastatic breast cancer patients fall into this category. A set of studies came out in 2019,

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and they showed that a certain class of drug clearly increased survival times for patients with advanced luminal breast cancers.

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That's the first time ever that any treatment has been shown to significantly increase survivorship

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in that particular stage and subtype, which is a clear victory for the field and for every patient that is yet to be diagnosed into that group.

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This example of a breakthrough extends to other subtypes, too, with many treatments being developed just in the last few years.

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For example, the FDA approved two new drugs for use in patients that are HER2 positive with advanced cancer, one of which shows a lot of promise treating those

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with brain metastases, which has been a major unmet need. However, that's not to say that we have everything figured out.

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Not all patients will see the same benefits, and it's always wise to consult your health care provider to recommend the best treatment tailored to you.

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But you see the trajectory from results of studies like these with new drugs being approved by the FDA every year or multiple times a year.

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And it's not unreasonable to feel hopeful or even happy about it.